Damage to agriculture and infrastructure caused by Typhoon “Ursula” has amounted to P3,435,725,790, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported Friday.
In its 6 a.m. update signed by Executive Director Ricardo Jalad, the NDRRMC said damage was recorded in the Mimaropa, Bicol, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, and Eastern Visayas regions.
Meanwhile, 431,586 houses in Mimaropa, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, and Eastern Visayas were damaged.
Of the figure, 107,035 were destroyed while 324,551 were damaged.
The number of houses destroyed by Ursula in Eastern Visayas alone has now reached 233,353, the Department of Social Welfare and Development reported on Friday.
Of the number, a total 16,161 houses were totally damaged and 217,192 partially damaged, said Theo Felices, DSWD (Eastern Visayas) regional disaster response operation division project development officer.
“Most of the totally damaged houses are those made of light materials and built along coastal villages,” Felices said.
Leyte has the highest number of destroyed houses at 129,835, followed by Western Samar (43,515), Eastern Samar (35,364), and Biliran (24,639). The typhoon has affected 371,132 families from 1,778 villages in over 70 towns regionwide.
Felices clarified that the number was not yet the final count.
“We set the deadline for the submission of reports per local government units on Dec. 29. Right now, we are still consolidating and finalizing the report, and see to it that all validated data has been accounted,” he said.
After the assessment, Felices said, LGUs together with other concerned agencies, will convene for a consultation meeting to determine the appropriate recovery phase programs for the affected towns.
“We will finish the assessment report as soon as possible so we can proceed now to the next step and formulate the best recovery plans to be endorsed to the central office for funding,” he said.
This includes emergency shelter assistance and cash-for-work programs, the official added.
As of Jan. 2, a total of 22,839 family food packs have been transported to towns in Eastern Visayas that requested for augmentation. This amounts to P9,169,402.
Each food packs contains six kilos of rice, four cans of corned beef, four cans of meatloaf, six sachets of coffee good for three to five days for a family of five members.
Also distributed are non-food items such as shelter and hygiene kits.
The DSWD reminded the public that the relief items were not for sale.